Power-driven separator



Nov. 10, 1959 R. E. BOGEMA POWER-DRIVEN SEPARATOR 4 Sheets$heet 1 Filed May 24, 1955 INVENTOR.

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,e/ck/nka a. BOGA-MA Nov. 10, 1959 R. E. BOGEMA POWER-DRIVEN. SEPARATOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 24, 1955 INVENTOR.

R/CHHRQ f. 8065M Nov. 10, 1959 R. E. BOGEMA POWER-DRIVEN SEPARATOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 24, 1955 A rroezvA-r:

United States Patent POWER-DRIVEN SEPARATOR Richard E. Bogema, Sturgis, Mich., assignor to The Grav-I-Flo Corporation, Sturgis, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application May 24, 1955, Serial No. 510,776

2 Claims. (Cl. 209-330) This invention relates to a power driven separator for work pieces, tumbling chips and the like.

Many types of work pieces have to be deburred, de-

scaled or otherwise treated to produce the desired finish.

The desired surfacefinish of work pieces is often obtained by a tumbling operation where a quantity of work pieces are agitated in a mass of marble chips or the like. The tumbling material, such as marble chips, is often made up of various sizes in order to produce the desired end result. After the work pieces are tumbled and the desired finish is obtained, it is necessary to separate the work pieces from the chips and it often becomes necessary to also sort out the mass of chips into different sizes. The present invention contemplates a power driven separator for accomplishing these sorting operations.

It is the general object of this invention to provide a separator of the above described type which is so de signed that the operation thereof can be varied or adjusted to the requirements of the particular sorting operation being performed.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a separator provided with a reciprocating carriage and with means for adjustably controlling the extent of agitation of the work pieces and/or chips at either end of the carriage so that an efficient separating action can be obtained when the machine is used purely for grading. A gentle action is provided on the front half of the screen to protect the metal parts, from nicking, when the machine is used as a parts from media separator.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a separator of the type described which includes a carriage provided with means for quickly and easily mounting or removing screens of different mesh sizes on the carriage.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the separator of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary end elevational view ofthe separator as viewed in the direction of the arrow 2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the discharge end of the separator. v

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing the means for adjusting the cam arrangement at the discharge end of the carriage.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the carriage.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along thelines 66 in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of a carriage with 'parts broken away as viewed along the lines 77 in Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view along the lines 88 in Fig. 5.

Referring to Fig. 1, the separator there illustrated includes a support frame 11 having a pair of uprights 12 at one end and another pair 14 at the other end. The uprights 12 are connected together by suitable transverse braces, one of which is illustrated at 16 in Fig. 3. Likewise, the uprights 14 are interconnected by suitable transverse braces, not illustrated. The members 12 and 14 are interconnected by such means as the longitudinal braces 18 and the side panels 20 to provide a very rigid frame. Intermediate their ends, the braces 18 have welded thereto side supporting plates 22 interconnected by a channel 24. The upper ends of uprights 12 are inclined as illustrated and are interconnected by a round bar 26 provided with upright guides 28 at each end thereof. A channel 30 is welded at its opposite ends to the bar 26 and channel 24 and inclines downwardly as illustrated so that a parts pan 32 may be supported thereon. The side support plates 22 support a chute member 34 provided with an adjustable feed gate 36 at its discharge end. The parts pan 32 is designed to be supported on frame 11 with its discharge end 38 disposed within chute 34.

A small frame structure 40 is welded in an upright position on each of the longitudinal side braces 18. A shaft 42 is journalled in pillow blocks 44 on frame structure 40, and a pulley 46 on shaft 42 has a belt drive 48 with a pulley 50 driven by a motor 52. The speed of pulley 50 is made adjustable by any convenient means such as a Reeves speed control which is controlled by a hand wheel 54. On pulley 46, there is eccentrically mounted a shaft 56 which'is in turn journalled in pillow blocks 58 mounted at the rear or charging end of a carriage 60. As is best illustrated in Fig. 2, the side walls 62 of carriage 60 are provided on the outer sides thereof and adjacent the discharge end of the carriage with angle iron brackets 64. Supporting plates 66 are Welded on frame 10 and provided with rollers 68 on which the angle iron brackets 64 rest. Brackets 64 are in turn provided with rollers 70 which engage with plates 66. The arrangement is such that rollers 68 rollably support the discharge end of carriage 60 and rollers 70 guide the discharge end of carriage 60 longitudinally. Thus, when motor 52 is operated, the eccentric connection of the shaft 56 with the pulley 46 causes the charging end of carriage 60 to reciprocate longitudinally in a path that is orbital in a vertical plane while the discharge end of carriage 60 simply rolls back and forth on rollers 68.

Carriage 60 is provided with a guard 72 at its charging end to direct the material discharged from chute 34 into the carriage. The carriage is also provided with means described hereinafter for supporting a pair of screens 74 and 76 in vertically spaced parallel relation. At its discharge end, the carriage is provided with chutes 78 and 80 for discharging into pans 82 the material on screens 74 and 76 that reaches the discharge end of the carriage. Below the carriage, there is arranged a hopper 84 for directing the material that passes through screens 74 and 76 into a work pan 86.

Referring now to Fig. 3, it will be seen that at the discharge end of carriage 60, there is welded to the side walls 62 of the carriage a pair of plates 88. A channel iron extends between plates 88 and is welded thereto. Channel 90 supports a yoke 92 on which is journalled a rubber tire wheel 94-. A support plate 96 is welded on each of the upright supports 12, and a shaft 98 extends between and is pivotally mounted on support plata 96. A link 100 is fixed on shaft 98at one end and pivotally connects with a link 102 at its other end. The upper end of link 102 is pivotally connected to a cam 104. Cam 104 is pivotally supported on an angle bracket 106 welded to transverse brace 16. This pivotal connection comprises blocks 108 having shanks 110 extending downwardly through bracket 106. Blocks 108 are biased downwardly against bracket 106 by means of compression springs 112 which are arranged between locking nuts 114 threaded on the lower end of shanks 110 and bearing blocks 116 welded to the underside of bracket 106. Cam 104 is pivotally mounted between blocks 108 as by a pin 118 and is provided with a handle 12h. Cam 104 has a pair of straight faces 122 and 124 which are disposed 90 apart. With this arrangement, it will be observed that when cam 164 is rotated as by handle 12% from the position shown in Pig. 3 in a clockwise direction to a position wherein the straight face 124- engage with bracket 185, link 1G2 is pulled upwardly and link 1% pivots clockwise with shaft 93. A track member 126 is mounted on link 1% for longitudinal movement thereon. The position of track 126 is adjusted by a locking screw 128; and when adjusted, the track adapted to be locked into position by a locking screw 13%. Track 126 carries a fixed abutment 132. h Zoveinent of adjusting screw 128 caused abutment 132 to be shifted toward or away from wheel 94.

As is clearly illustrated in Fig. 3, when the straight face 122 of cam 10d is in engagement with bracket 1%, link 100 is in a downwardly pivoted condition so that as the carriage 60 reciprocates back and forth, abutment Y 132 is disposed below and is spaced from wheel M When cam 104- is rotated clockwise to position straight face 124 on the bracket 166, track 126 is pivoted upwardly to a position wherein abutment 132 lies in the path of travel of wheel 94. Thus, as carriage 60 moves forwardly, wheel 94 strikes and rides up on abutment 132 and carries the discharge end of the carriage with it, thus providing the discharge end of the carriage with a vertical jolting action as the carriage reciprocates back and forth. The extent of this jolting action can be controlled by the setting of adjusting screw 12%. In this arrangement, track 126 with the abutment 132 operates as a cam and wheel 94 serves as a cam follower.

Referring now to Figs. 5 through 8, it will be observed that along the inner side of each side wall 62 of carriage 60, there is welded a pair of longitudinally extending angle brackets 134 and 136. Brackets 1.34 are spaced generally midway between the upper andlower edges of the side walls 62, and brackets extend adjacent the lower edges of the side walls 62. Screen 74 is adapted to be supported on angle brackets A pair of upright side plates 138 (Fig. 5) are wcided in longitudinally spaced relation on each of the side walls 62. A transversely extending brace spans each opposed pair of side plates 138, and each brace 1 5-9 has secured thereto a bearing 142. A square shaft 1 3-4 which extends longitudinally of the carriage above screen 74 is slidably supported in bearings 142. A pair of sliding bearing blocks 145 are supported in spaced apart relation on shaft 144. Rubber bumpers are arranged on shaft 144 on each side of sliding bearing blocks 146, and thrust blocks 159 are fixed on shaft 144 at the ends of bumpers 143. Thus, the bearing blocks are permitted by the compressibility of bumpers 1.43 to slide longitudinally on shaft 144 a limited extent. Each sliding bearing'block 146 supports a pair of actuating arms 152 by means of a ball and socket joint as at 154. Arms 152 extend downwardly and are inclined towards the charging end of carriage 60. At their lower ends, arms 152 have a ball and socket connection with brackets 153. Brackets 158 are welded to clamps 164) which in turn are pivoted as at 16?; to the side walls 62 of the carriage. Each of the clamps 168 is provided with a flat clamping face 164 which. when the clamps are pivoted downwardly, are arranged to clamp the outer iongitudinai edges of screen 74 firmly against the angle brackets 13d.

The means for actuating arms 152 are in the form a link 166 pivotally connected to shaft 144 at one end as at 168 and having an eccentric connection as at 179 at its other end with a block 1'72 rotatably supported by a pin 174 on an angle brace 1 6 extending transversely of the carriage at the discharge end thereof. The end of link 166 which pivotally connects with block 172 is formed with a socket 175 which is engaged to seat against pin 174 when block 172 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 7. When block 172 is rotated 4 in a counterclockwise direction, it will be realized that shaft 144 is shifted rearwardly or towards the discharge end of the carriage; and this movement tends to straighten arms 152 which in turn pivot clamps 169 downwardly to firmly clamp screen against brackets 134. When block 172 is rotated in a clockwise direction from the position shown in Fig. 7, the bumpers 143 at the rear block 1 are initially compressed; and the shaft 144 is then retracted to pivot clamps 160 upwardly and thereby permit screen 74 to be readily removed from the carriage. I

The clamping mechanism for the lower screen 76 is generally similar to the arrangement described above with respect to the clamping mechanism for screen 74. The clamping mechanism for screen 76 likewise includes a square shaft on which are fixed two sets of thrust biocks 1 and between the thrust blocks of each pair, the bumpers the sliding bearing blocks 146 are arranged. The lower mechanism also includes actuating arms 152 and clamps 166. In view of the limited space 7 between screens 74 and 76, the brackets 180 on the lower clamps 16% are of slightly different configuration than the brackets 158. The lower clamping mechanism, as is the case with the upper clamping mechanism, also includes a link 166 connected with the end of lower shaft 144 and the lower rotatable block 172. The lower block 1'72. is supported on the underside of a transversely extending plate 182, and the support bearings 142 for the lower shaft are mounted on transverse brackets 184. Both of the rotatable blocks 172 are provided with radial sockets 136 for the reception of a handle 188 to facilitate rotating these blocks. The operation of the lower clamping mechanism is identical with that of the upper clamping mechanism.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a powerdriven separator which is of relatively simple construction but which, at the same time, is designed to meet the requirements of various separating operations. For example, if the separator is used simply for separating work pieces from a mass of chips, the top screen '74 would be selected of such mesh that the chips would fall through this screen and be discharged either into lower pan 82 or pan S6 and the work pieces would be discharged into the upper pan 82. Depending on the nature of the work piece, it might not be advisable to produce too vigorous an agitation of the carriage, in which case the handle would be rotated to the position shown in Fig. 3 where thewheel 94 would simply bypass abutment 132 and the discharge end of the carriage would merely ride back and forth on rollers 63.

However, if it is desired to sort a mass of chips into say three ranges of sizes, then it would be desirable to rotate handle 12d upwardly to a position wherein wheel 94- would strike and ride up abutment 132. This would have a tendencyto bounce the chips on the screen and thus permit them to pass through the upper or lower screen in an endwise position. It will be appreciated that unless the carriage is jolted sufiiciently, the chips will simply slide down the screens, and chips that are elongate in shape will not have an opportunity to fall through a screen which is intended to pass such chips rather than retain them.

it will be appreciated that the amount of bounce given the work pieces and/or the chips can be controlled independently at both ends of the carriage. At the discharge end of the carriage, this can be controlled by the adjustment screw 128 which determines the extent to which wheel )4 rides up over abutment 132. At the charging end of the carriage, the amount of bounce can be regulated by the speed of the eccentric drive at pulley 46. Pulley 46 is preferably of heavy construction so that it also serves as a fly wheel.

it will also be seen that the screen clamping mechanism enables screens to be removed and replaced on the carriage in a simple manner and in a minimum of time. To remove either screen, it is only necessary to rotate handle 188 clockwise as viewed from above to retract the shafts 144. This, of course, causes clamps 160 to pivot upwardly by reason of the movement of arms 152; and the screens are completely released for withdrawal of the carriage. After the desired screen is placed in the carriage on support brackets 13 or 136, the blocks 172 are rotated counterclockwise to a position wherein recess 178 seats against pin 174 to thus lock the screens between clamps 160 and their respective angle supports. When blocks 172 are rotated clockwise from the unlocked posi tion, pin 170 is shifted from one side of pin 174 to the other so that bumpers 148 yieldably hold links 166 in the locking position.

I claim:

1. In a mechanical separator for work pieces, chips,

' or the like, the combination of a support, a carriage on said support having a screen on which material to be separated is adapted to be deposited, drive means on said support connected to one end of said carriage, said drive means being arranged to impart an orbital movement in a vertical plane to said one end of the carriage, said carriage sloping downwardly from said one end to the other end, roller and track means between said other end of the carriage and the adjacent portion of said support for supporting the other end of the carriage and guiding the reciprocating movement thereof in a straight path, a roller on said carriage adjacent said other end, a cam track pivotally supported adjacent one end thereof on said support and disposed beneath said roller, a link connected with the opposite end of the cam track, a hand lever pivotally mounted on said support and connected with said link for pivoting said cam track upwardly toward and downwardly away from said roller, said c'am track being adapted to be pivoted by said hand lever downwardly to a position wherein said other end of the carriage is supported by said roller and track means, said hand lever being adapted to pivot said cam track upwardly to a position wherein the cam track engages said rollers and lifts said other end of the carriage to disengage said roller and track means whereby said other end of the carriage is vertically supported by said cam track, said cam track being adapted when engaging said roller to impart a vertical jolt to said other end of the carriage in response to reciprocation of the carriage.

2. A mechanical separator as called for in claim 1 wherein said cam track comprisesa supportnig member and a track proper which is adjustably mounted on said last mentioned supporting member for movement in a direction toward and away from the peripheral surface of said roller.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 120,198 Jones Oct. 24, 1871 749,578 Porter Jan. 12, 1904 825,081 Schwartz July 3, 1906 833,715 Graham Oct. 16, 1906 941,862 Dibert Nov. 30, 1909 1,114,097 Bell Oct. 20, 1914 1,180,165 McCabe Apr. 18,- 1916 1,490,074 Stedman Apr. 8, 1924 1,932,920 Berghoefer Oct; 31, 1933 2,136,950 Overstrom Nov. 15,1938

FOREIGN PATENTS 463,082 Great Britain Mar. 22, 1937 

